Letter: Dreams of lawmakers who will defy leaders’

Thursday

Oct 28, 2010 at 12:01 AMOct 28, 2010 at 10:53 AM

Finally, Election Day nears, and about time. Hopefully, candidates will be elected who will not follow lockstep with their “leaders” and have the fortitude to speak out about their own causes that got them elected.

Finally, Election Day nears, and about time. Hopefully, candidates will be elected who will not follow lockstep with their “leaders” and have the fortitude to speak out about their own causes that got them elected.

The procedures that currently exist, in either chamber, are in vast need of overhauling, and until this is done, many promises will remain just that — promises. What is needed is a bill to be presented and passed, in both chambers, that any amendment made by a member of either chamber must be presented on the floor for discussion and a vote. Not delegated to a “committee” where its fate is ultimately decided, basically through the back door, until it is clear what the “leaders” want, or worse, left to languish at the whim of the “leaders.”

I can almost hear the cries now, if this was the law there would be too many amendments to consider. Agreed, this could be the case. But a great number of amendments could be resolved very quickly, with very little discussion.

The chambers are supposed to be in session “X” number of days and many of those days very little is done while the “leaders” make their decisions as to what is worth carrying forward. I say, put the elected parties to work and get something done for the people and earn your money.

There I go, dreaming, as if a change as mentioned had a snowball’s chance of getting passed. While still dreaming, maybe there will be someone elected who will propose and work for such a change, who is not tied to the money strings of their “leaders” and can defy the marching orders. Or maybe a longtime politician who is about to hang it up and is fed up with the current system will have the courage to speak out in public and get something done. Oh well, keep dreaming and maybe just one day.

Wm. G. Chestnut
Cantrall

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